Annealing-furnace.



PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

J. A. HERRICK. ANNEALING FURNACE. APPLICATION FILED MAR.17.1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

WITNESSES No. 876,183. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908. J. A. HERRIOK.

ANNEALING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.1 7.1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOH Junta fLflerric? m I TTORNEYJ No. 876,183. PATENTEDJAN. 7, 1908.

' J. A. HERRIGK.

ANNBALING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.1'1.1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: F {3 4- INYENTOR 76 W X 1 W nramvsr;

UNITED, sT rEs PATENT orrron.

JAMES HERRICK, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ANNEALiNG-FURNAOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 7, 1908.

Application filed March 17. 1905. Serial No. 250.659.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HERRICK, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Annealing-Furnaces of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of annealin furnaces in which theobjects to be annea ed are subjected to heat while maintained in anon-oxidizing atmosphere, the object of my invention being to rovidesimple and convenient means for mergingthe various materials to beannealed into a closed muffle without admission of external to quick'orgradual cooling and final treatment without danger of stain or scalinThis object I attain in the manner liereinafter set forth, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents alongitudinal section, on the line bb of Fig. 2, of annealing aparatusconstructed in accordance with my mvention; Fig. 2 is a sectional planview on the line cc of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the linc-c of Fig. 2; Fi 4 is a transverse section on the line d-d of Fig. 2;Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the charging end of the mufiie orretort, and'Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the same.

The prime object in all closed annealing systems is to treat thematerials perfectly while excluding the atmospheric air during allstages of the operation, and different forms of fixed or movable closedretorts have been devised with the view of attaining this result, noneof which, so far as I am aware, have been perfectly satisfactory, oneobjection being the expensive and cumbersome ma chinery employed, whichis liable to accident and is di'ilicult to adjust and repair, andanother objection being that different metals require different.treatment and different forms of apparatus. I aim to overcome these oljections in my improved apparatus by the use of an air lock or chargingcompartment at the inlet end of the retort, in connection with a systemof internally disposed but externally driven conveyers, and by the useof an air-tight hood at the delivery end of the muffle, whereby thematerials, after being heated, are delivered to one or more air-ti htcooling chambers where they can be cooled gradually and from which theycan be removed when finished, or from which they maybe dipped in icklingor other fluids, either after they l fave become cooled or partiallycooled, or in the fully heated condition in which they are dischargedfrom the retort.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a retort, which may be made ofany suitable refractory material and of any desired size and form, thisretort being so mounted in the furnace 2 that the ends of the retort arefirmly supported upon and built into the end walls of the furnace, theretort being also, if desired, supported at various points throughoutits length by walls 3 of refractory material, as shown in Fig. 1.

are shown at the front of the furnace structure, the products ofcombustion passing first over the top of the retort, then down along oneside of the same, thence across the bottom of the retort between thesupporting walls 3, thence up along the opposite side of the retort andthence through passages 5 and 6 to a discharge flue 7. The retort beingthus enveloped in products of combustion, provision is afiorded foruniformly heating the same throughout its entire extent to any desiredtemperature, without the risk of overheating its contents or injuringthem by direct contact with the products of combustion. Instead ofdirect coal firing any acceptable system of uniformly heating the retort1, as for instance by means of oil or gas, may be employed.

At its charging end the retort has a projecting neck 9, and at itsdelivery end a projecting neck 10, with downwardly bent outer end 11, asshown in Fig. 1. With the receiving neck of the retort communicates apipe 12, suitably valved, and with the delivery neck of the retortcommunicates a similarly valved pipe 13, and throu h these pipes steamor other non-oxidizing uid may be admitted to the retort in order todrive the air therefrom in the first instance, and to maintain anon-oxidizing atmosphere within the retort during the continuance of theannealing operation.

Projecting upwardly from the receiving neck 9 of the retort is a charing structure 14, and projecting outwardly rom said receiving neck 9 isanother charging structure 15, and between these two charging structuresis a pivoted and swinging valve 16, which In the present instance twofire-places 4 lines in ig. 1 when it is desired to out OK communicationbetween the receiving neck 9 of the retort and the charging structure 15and open communication between said neck 9 and the charging structure14, or it can be raised to a horizontal position so as to cut offcommunication between the neck 9 and the chargingstructure 14 andopencommunication between said neck and the charging structure 15. Thecharging structure 14 has, around the top, a sealing trough 17 forcontaining water, sand, or other sealing agent, into which dips adependlng flange around the periphery of-a cap or cover 18', which canbe raised or lowered by manipulating a lever 19.

A valved pipe 20 communicates with the interior of the chargingstructure 14 and the stem of this valve is connected to acounterbalanced arm 21 projecting from the pivot shaft of the valve 16,so that when said valve is lowered to the position shown in Fig- 1 "flowthrough the pipe 20 will be permitted,

such flow being cut oil-when the valve 16 is raised to a horizontalposition. The charging structure 15 has an end portion. in line with theretort 1, and this end portion is provided with a swinging valve orcover 22 with peep hole 23, so that the conditions within the retort maybe observed when the valve 16 is raised. At the extreme outer end of thecharging structure 15 there is an opening normally closed by a swingingvalve or door 24, and said charging structure is also provided with apipe having a valve whose stem is connected to a counter-balanced arm 26projecting from the shaft of the valve 24, so that when the latter isclosed the valve in the pipe 25 will be open, and vice versa. 'In thetop of the charging structure 15 is a manhole 27, which provides foraccess to the interior of said charging structure independently of theaccess providedby the swinging valve or door 24.

Extending through the retort 1 and its charging and delivery necks '9and 10, is an endless conveyer 30, which is guided, supported, anddriven by means of suitable sprocket wheels 31, and this endlessconveyer also passes through extensions 32, 33, and 34, forming 21;depending continuation of the retort, whereby the conveyer is containedwholly Within the retort, and always works in the non-oxidizingatmosphere maintained therein during the continuance of the annealingprocess. The extensions 33 and the lower portions of the extensions 32and 34 of the retort may be filled with water for the purpose of coolingthe conveyer during the return passage of the same from the delivery endto the charging end of the retort.

An endless conveyer 35, mounted u on driving sprocket wheels 36, iscontaine in the charging structure 15 of the retort, the

.u per run of said conveyer 35being flush with, or slightly above, thelevel of the up er run of the main conveyer 30, and beingfiiy reference,driven at a slightly greater surrace speed than said main conveyer.

The delivery neck 10 ofthe retort has an opening normally closed by aswim ing valve or door 37 with peep hole 38, so t at conditions withinthe retort vmay be observed from the delivery end of the same as well asfrom the charging end.

' The depending end 11 of the delivery neck 10 of the retortcommunicates with a duplex chamber 40, 41 which has a water jacket 42,the two other chambers being separated by a water-cooled hollowpartition 43, and on the to of the partition is mounted a swingin ya ve'or gate 44, which can be adjusted eit er to the osition shown in Fig. 1,so as to direct the ischarge from the neck 11 into the chamber 41, orcan be reversed so as to direct said discharge into the chamber 40.

Each of the chambers 40 and 41 has, at the bottom, a. pivoted andtiltable platform 45 for receiving, supporting, or dum ing the materialfed into said chamber, and 0th chambers are sealed at the bottom bymeans of water or other sealing agent contained in a sealing trough 46into which the contents of either chamber 40 or 41 can therefore bedischarged b tilting its platform 45 and moved. Each chamber 40, 41,also has a su-itabl closed opening 47' at one side throug which thecontents of said chamber can be removed, without dumping them into thesealing trough, when such removal is desired.

The method of operation of my improved furnace is as follows. Thesealing trough 46 being properly filled with water orother sealing agentand the fires started, the retort is heated to the roper temperature andthe air is then expel ed therefrom by means of the steam or othernon-oxidizing fluid, which also expels air from the char ing structure14 or 15, depending upon t e adjust ment of the valve 16. If a charge isto be introduced through the structure 14 the valve 16 is raised to thehorizontal position so as to cut off communication betweensaid structureand the retort, the cover 18 is then lifted andthe charge is depositedupon the valve 16, and the cover 18're-app11edf The valve is thenlowered so as to direct the charge to the moving conveyer 30 in the fromwhich t e materials can be readily rebottom of the retort, whereby thesaid tained under slight pressure in the retort, and hence serves toprevent any inflow of air into said retort during the continuance of theannealingoperation. If strips, bars,

iently charged through the structure 14 are to be annealed, the chargingstructure 15 is 15 veyer 35 and are de osited upon the main conveyer 30,where y they are carried through the retort. Air is expelled from thecharging structure 15 through the pipe 25 when the valve 16 is raised,so that no inflow of air into the retort at this point is If thearticles, after being heated cooled, they may be dis- 'er of thechambers 40 or 41, the platform 45 at the botand permitted toacpossible.

are to be slowl charged into eit deposited upon tom of said chamber,

cumulate in the chamber until it becomes full, whereupon the valve 44may be reversed and the discharge directed into the other chamber, whichma also be permitted to behaving meantime cooled so they can bewithdrawn through the opening 47 of said chamber, and the chambers beingthus used alternately as long as may be des1red,'or the articles afterhavin cooled or partially cooled in either of t e chambers 40 or 41 mabe dumped into the water or other sea ing fluid in the trough 46 bytipping the platform 45 at the bottom of said chamber or platforms maybe tipped at the beginning of the o thereb ropped directly from the neck11 throng either of the chambers 40 or. 41 into the liquid in thesealing trough, which li uid may be of a character to effect the picking or other finishing of the articles.

It is obvious that the number of retorts contained in the furnace may bemultiplied, as may also the firing chambers, and it is also obvious thatin some cases the delivery neck 11 of the retort may discharge directlyinto the sealin trough without the interposition of the coo ing chambers40 and 41, and that cut off from communication with the atmospherewhenopen to the retort, since the pipes 20 and 25 provide only for theescape or other articles which cannot be conven-.

come full, the art1c es in the other chamber and the valve in thedischarge pipe,

ration and the heated articles the charging chamber 14 can be closed atthe top by an automatic swinging valve or cover.

in connection with the of the steam or other non-oxidizing fluid fromthe retort, and do not permit of an inflow of air.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

1. An annealing furnace having a heated retort with a dry air lockhaving a' watersealed cover at the inlet end through which material canbe charged into the retort.

2. An annealing furnace having a heated retort with a double airlock atthe inlet end through either of which materials can be charged into theretort. 3. An annealing furnace havin a heated retort provided at itsinlet end wit a double airlock, and avalve interposed between the twolocks so as to operate in conjunction with either. I

4. An annealing furnace having a heated retort with an air lock having awater-sealed cover at the inlet end,said airlock being provided with anescape pipe through which air may be forced from the lock by anon-oxidizing fluid within the retort, substantially as specified.

5. An annealing furnace having a heated retort with an air look at theinlet end, said air lock having a discharge pipe, a valve for o eningand closing communication with the air lock, and a connection betweensaid valge su stantially as specified.

6. An annealing furnace having a heated retort, a 'conveyer wholliywithin the same, an 4 air lock at the inlet en of-the retort, and asupplementary 'conveyer situated below said air lock, substantially asspecified. 7. An annealing furnace in which are combined a heatedretort, a plurality of receiving chambers at the delivery end of saidretort, and means for directing the discharge from said retort intoeither of said chambers, stantially as specified. 8. An annealingfurnace in which are combined a heated retort, a pluralit of watersealedreceiving chambers at the elivery end of said retort, and means wherebthe discharge from the retort can be directed to either of saidchambers, substantially as specified.

9. An annealing furnace in which are comsub- I bined a heated retort, awater-sealed chamher at the delivery end of said retort, and w tiltinglatform contained in said chamber above t e seal, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof, I have slgned my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

JAMES A. HERRICK. Witnesses:

E. R. LOUGHERY, Jos. H. KLEIN.

